Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and an ink amount control method for an ink tank. In particular, the invention relates to a technique for preventing ink leakage via an ink supply opening or the like during the exchange of an ink tank for example.
Description of the Related Art
As an example of a configuration to prevent the ink leakage during ink exchange, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-192739 discloses a configuration in which a connecting part between an ink chamber and an ink supply opening has a valving element for closing the ink supply opening and a communication part between the connecting part and the ink chamber further has a check valve. This configuration prevents the ink leakage through the ink supply opening when an ink tank is not connected to an ink supply pipe.
However, from the viewpoints of the cost or the reduction of components, some printing apparatuses has not the valve element and the check valve which are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-192739. In the case of such an apparatus, when an ink tank is removed during an ink tank exchange while an ink supply opening is being opened, outside air flows into the tank and thus negative pressure in the tank can be no more kept, thus resulting in the leakage of ink remaining in the ink tank through the supply opening.